Polish President Vetoes Extension for Non-EU Doctors, 441 Medics Lose Licenses

Polish President Karol Nawrocki has vetoed a one-year extension that would have allowed Ukrainian and other non-EU medics to continue working without a B1 Polish language certificate. Rzeczpospolita reported this on June 11. The conditional licenses, fast-tracked after Russia's full-scale invasion, began expiring on May 1, leading regional medical chambers to revoke practice rights.

By June 11, 441 medics had lost their licenses. In early May, Polish chamber spokesman Jakub Kosikowski stated that 2,321 doctors and 1,014 dentists still lacked the required document. The Sejm passed the extension on May 15, followed by the Senate on May 22, with support from the Health Ministry to prevent staffing shortages.

Nawrocki justified his decision by citing patient safety, emphasizing that Poles have the right to effective communication with their doctors. The Lower Silesian Medical Chamber in Wrocław revoked the most licenses with 129, followed by Warsaw (99), Warmian-Masurian (52), and Greater Poland (42).

Łukasz Jankowski, head of the Supreme Medical Council (NRL), met Nawrocki on May 20 and stated that the veto ensures patients are treated by Polish-speaking doctors. This veto aligns with a broader pattern of Nawrocki's actions, including vetoing refugee assistance in August 2025 and signing a law in February that integrated special Ukrainian protections into the general foreigners' regime. Public support for Ukrainian refugees in Poland has decreased from 94% to 57% during the war, despite their estimated $5 billion contribution to Poland's budget in 2024.